diff --git a/src/modules/alsa/alsa-util.c b/src/modules/alsa/alsa-util.c
index dfb2aa75b..63d370f52 100644
--- a/src/modules/alsa/alsa-util.c
+++ b/src/modules/alsa/alsa-util.c
@@ -410,11 +410,6 @@ success:
     if (ss->format != _ss.format)
         pa_log_info("Device %s doesn't support sample format %s, changed to %s.", snd_pcm_name(pcm_handle), pa_sample_format_to_string(ss->format), pa_sample_format_to_string(_ss.format));
 
-    if ((ret = snd_pcm_prepare(pcm_handle)) < 0) {
-        pa_log_info("snd_pcm_prepare() failed: %s", pa_alsa_strerror(ret));
-        goto finish;
-    }
-
     if ((ret = snd_pcm_hw_params_current(pcm_handle, hwparams)) < 0) {
         pa_log_info("snd_pcm_hw_params_current() failed: %s", pa_alsa_strerror(ret));
         goto finish;
diff --git a/src/tests/alsa-time-test.c b/src/tests/alsa-time-test.c
index a877cb836..dff95bbf6 100644
--- a/src/tests/alsa-time-test.c
+++ b/src/tests/alsa-time-test.c
@@ -132,9 +132,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     r = snd_pcm_sw_params(pcm, swparams);
     assert(r == 0);
 
-    r = snd_pcm_prepare(pcm);
-    assert(r == 0);
-
     r = snd_pcm_sw_params_current(pcm, swparams);
     assert(r == 0);